BMW 330e iPerformance Finalist for 2017 Green Car of the Year Award

Launched as an alternative to conventional cars, the BMW 330e iPerformance model is slowly becoming a darling of the automotive world. To prove that, the …

Launched as an alternative to conventional cars, the BMW 330e iPerformance model is slowly becoming a darling of the automotive world. To prove that, the jury in charge of the 2017 Green Car of the Year award has selected the 330e as one of the finalists.

The five finalists that will be battling it out for the coveted award have been announced today, just a bit over a week before the winner is announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The list includes the aforementioned BMW as well as other worthy rivals that bring their own pros and cons to the table. Among them you’ll find the Chevy Bolt, Chrysler Pacifica PHEV, Kia Optima Hybrid and Toyota Prius Prime.

“This year’s Green Car of the Year finalists clearly represent the momentum that electrification is experiencing in the auto industry,” said the magazine’s Editor and Publisher, Ron Cogan.

“Whether it’s all-electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or a combination of these powertrains plus conventional gasoline engines within a model line, electrification is now considered by most automakers an essential technology for current and future high-efficiency models”.

And while at first the BMW might seem out of place here, previous results show that’s not the case, as the BMW i3 went home with the award last year. And the specs of the car seem to be just right this time around as well, while keeping a traditional body style intact for those more conservative customers. The 252 HP of the petrol and electric motors under the sheet metal allow the 3er to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6 seconds with incredible grace.